Anybody Out There?
by AirFireWaterEarth
Summary: Just when things are going right for Vanellope, her old game gets unplugged. And the people she left behind 21 years ago are back. Now they find her in a 21 year old body, attuned to the years that have passed since he left her game. When Vanellope leaves, she finds herself in the real world. Also in a real-world Big Hero 6 battle. (Very Human, but Still a Glitch's rewrite)


**Anybody Out There?**

 **Summary:** **Just when things are going right for Vanellope, her old game gets unplugged. And the people she left behind 21 years ago are back. Now they find her in a 21 year old body, attuned to the years that have passed since he left her game. When Vanellope leaves, she finds herself in the real world. Also in a real-world Big Hero 6 battle. (Very Human, but Still a Glitch's rewrite)**

It was strange getting drunk. You got all fuzzy and you're tongue got all heavy. It made you happy though. Too bad Tapper wouldn't let her have more; the taste wasn't so bad that the feeling of contentment wasn't worth it. It was strange getting drunk… oh, she already thought of that. Vanellope let out a giggle, which attracted some people's attention. Who cared? Everyone stared at her anyways. Oh! That was also strange; no, not the attention, the aging. Something about her game still being around… Yeah, she'd remember when the drink wore off. Oh… but she didn't want it to wear off! It felt so—

Her thoughts were interrupted by screaming coming from her old game. No-not her old game. It wasn't hers. It wasn't ever hers. But the sounds still came from Sugar Rush. Tapper looked at Vanellope and then looked at Sugar Rush.

"You're too drunk to get what's going on, aren't you? Knew I shouldn't have given you that drink you light-weight."

Vanellope stumbled up and glitched out of shock.

"Wha-whattsss going on?"

Tapped shook his head and continued to clean the cup Vanellope had downed.

"It's their turn to get their unplugging."

Another wave of blue pixels took over Vanellope's body,

" _What_?"

There'd been news of the arcade shutting down; over 50 years of business, new technology and better businesses Litwack's arcade was due for a shut down. But those had been rumors… lately, though, more and more games had been unplugged, the best ones going first, presumably for resale. Everyone new that Sugar Rush was next. Since Vanellope had left Sugar Rush, she had made it her best attempt too avoid them. But why again?… Right, horrible evil people. But their game was unplugged! Poor little, horrible, evil people…

A shockwave road up Vanellope's spine, and suddenly her thoughts weren't so cloudy before. Her code had finally won the battle against the alcohol and the feeling was gone. Vanellope sucked in a deep breath. That had felt to good… for a little bit. But now she remembered why she'd avoided them. And now they were feeling just as lonely and abandoned as she had in their company. Vanellope shot a look at Tapper who sent her a shake of his head. _No_. Oh well, she'd convince for another drink later; right now was the best time to soak in soberness anyways. It was hard to say how she felt about the game getting unplugged herself. She'd known that, once a glitch got out, they could never get back in, so the idea of giving up being a racer had been accepted. It had been near impossible, but how else could she carry on with her life? She got to race a few times with the cars in Hero's Duty, though. She'd learned to dance in DDR. Tapper was obviously company. In Fix-It Felix, she and the Wrecker were pretty good friends too. As a matter of fact, things had just gotten better once she left Sugar Rush.

So, yeah, little to no regrets.

Vanellope sat back down on her stool and turned to face Tapper.

Vanellope hummed, "So, what do you think they'll say when they see me?"

"Something along the lines of 'who are you'?" he replied wryly.

Oh yeah! No regrets? No, some regrets. Vanellope looked down at her apparel. Sure, her **body** changed. Her clothes… it wasn't like an update, where everything was programmed to be proportionate. It was different. Her body got older because her game got older. Clothes don't get older (well, they do, but not in the way Vanellope needed them to). So, she had to find different clothes on her own. Boots loaned (given) from Hero's Duty, (worn) jeans from The House of the Dead, and a (as a last resort) blue camisole from Dance Central 3. Oh, and there was also the fact that she had the body of a 21 year old. Her hair was still in its pony tail and candy style, though, so she had that going for her..

How many times was she reminded of how much of a freak she was? 1, 2, 3 **million times**? Her whole life? Sounded about right.

"Ah, ah, ah. No mental breakdowns at the bar. Bad for business. Besides, Sugar ain't that far away…" Tapper advised, going a few seats down to get another drink, leaving Vanellope on her own to her own thoughts.

Vanellope sat there, trying not to think too hard about her former comrades that she could currently turn around and yell at. As she was "not" thinking about that, a huge hunk of mass sat down next to her.

"So, Litwack's really going out, huh?"

Vanellope looked up at Ralph with a half smile.

"Yeah. Worried you're next?"

Ralph sighed, "Nah, I'm too old now."

Vanellope chose not to remind him that games as old as his were probably only still in the arcade because Litwack (or whomever the owner was now) needed to sort out the best offers.

"Well, on the bright side, Troll, you're not getting any older." Ralph chimmed.

Vanellope rolled her eyes. Ralph tried to avoid (beat up) people that told him he was Grandpa, but he really was. He told stories about "those days" and made the old jokes. Ralph was a 60 year old in a 40 year old's body. It was hard to say that the claims were totally lies.

She was, theoretically, not-so-young either; a 36 year old in a 21 year old's body, but she'd become the baby of the arcade once she left Sugar Rush. Even as she went from 10 to 20, she was still 10 in their eyes. No act of aging could change that.

Except for the Sugar Rush gang.

Vanellope shot a look at them over her shoulder. King Candy trying to settle down his unruly citizens, Taffyta with mascara streaks down her face. Everyone getting so exactly what they deserve, yet she only felt dread. She clicked her tongue. She needed to confront this dread.

Vanellope set back her shoulders and pulled her ponytail into place.

"I'm going out there, Grandpa." Vanellope said.

Ralph was too amused to bother with deflecting the name.

"You're going out there? I gotta see this."

And he was.

Vanellope practically marched up to the group, loosing her cool the closer she got. By the time she got to the candy citizens, she realized she had nothing to say.

King Candy didn't look behind him.

"Can't you see I'm buthy here? Our game just got unplugged, ya know."

Vanellope crossed her arms.

"What a couincy-dincy; I left the same game 21 years ago!" Vanellope pushed out. Keep her cool, keep her cool.

Recognizing her voice, King Candy spun.

"Va-AH!" He said tripping at the height difference.

Vanellope stood there, not wanting to take lead of the conversation unless absolutely necessary, in case her facade broke.

King Candy cleared his throat.

"W-well, Miss Von Thchweetz. That'th thome toll the leaving the game took on ya!" he finally mustered.

Vanellope clenched her fists. Toll? _Toll_?

"Well, it sure was better than being in Sugar Rush! Some king you were." Vanellope said through clenched teeth.

"I wath jutht doing what was beth for the—"

"Don give me that speech!" Vanellope snapped, glitching as she said it, "Makes me wanna tear my ears out."

There was a gasp through the Sugar Rush crowd, and whispers began sounding about. Things along the lines of _._ _It's the glitch_ **!** And _She's so… old_ **.**

Vanellope bit her lip and thought about just one more thing to say before making her exit (from this and never let this occur again).

"Thanks though; now I couldn't care less about stupid old Sugar Rush." Not great, not mature (mature; a word Vanellope never in a million years thought she would use) but it wasn't too bad. Vanellope stalked (fled) back to Tapper's and sat next to Ralph.

"How'd I do?" she asked.

Ralph shook his head.

"Not well."

Vanellope nodded. True. She hoped she wouldn't have to handle anything more from Sugar Rush. Scratch that; she _couldn't_ handle anything more from Sugar Rush.

She'd have to, though.

 **A/N: I know, she didn't even leave yet (and only 1000 words). But another issue with the last "Very Human, but Still a Glitch" was that it went too fast. This one's going nice and slow (I hope…). It isn't all that short either (at least, I don't think). I'm not sure how people think about this new one, really. I'll see. If you want to have a discussion with me and others, not to mention a few updates on this every once in a while, go to my Tumblr: totalanimationfreak**

 **See you next chappie (maybe)!**

 **~ Sam**


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